Knotter.



IB.E.BYRD.

KNQTTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1908.

934,388, Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

B. E. BYRD.

KNOTTER. APPLICATION FILED .TAN.14, 1908.

934,388, Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NEE STATES PATENT OFFICE- BRITTON E. BYRD, OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR 'I'O BYRID MFG. (70.. OF

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA.

VKNOTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Sept. 1.4, 1909.

Application filed January 14, 1908. Serial No. 410,820.

T all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, BRITTON E. BYRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Durham, in the county of Durham and State of vention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drznvings. and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions,'size and minor details of the structure may be made Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view'of a knotter constructed in accordance'with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the knotter in position to receive the thread or yarn to be knotted. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position of the parts at the completion of the knotting operation. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan View of the knot-ter. Fig. 5 is a rear end elevation. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the handle member of the frame. Fig. is 'a similar View of the top portion of the frame. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the actuating lever.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawlngs.

The main frame of the knotter is formed of a single piece of stamped sheet metal, that is so bent as to form a pair of .side plates 10 and 11, and .a handle 12, the rear portions of the side plates curving downward and being reduced in width to form reinforcing flanges 13 at the opposite edges of the handle.

The metal at the upper portion of the handle is split and bent outward and rearward to form a tongue 14, having an eye for the passage of the handle strap 15, the lower eiid of the latter being secured to the bottom of the handle in the usual manner. The outer orforward end of the side plate 11 is curved. outward and forward and so shaped as to constitute a guide 18 that receives the yarn or thread tobe tied.

The second member 20 of the body portion of the lmotter is, also, formed of stamped sheet metal and comprises a plate bent to form flat top 21 and front and rear ends 22 and 23 that are disposed at a right angle to the top, these end plates having bearing openings 24' for the reception of the knotter shaft 25. One edge of the forward plate 22 is provided with alaterally projecting tongue 26 that extends. through a suitable opening formed in the adjacent side plate 11, and is thence bent in order to secure the members together, and the rear end of the side plate 11 has an inwardly bent tongue 28 that is turned over a shouldcuQS) formed at one side of the rear wall 23 of tho member 11.

The opposite sideplates 1 0 and 20 are provided with openings 30 for the reception of a 'pin or screw 31 which extends'completely across the frame and serves as a reinforcing means. This screw or pin serves,

also, as a pivot for the reception of an.

operating lever 33. The lever isformed of a single piece of stamped sheet metal bent into U--shape at the front end as indicated at 34 that extends under the forward portion of theknotter, one of the arms of the lever being arranged at one side of the plate 11 and extendmg rearward to a point slightly beyond the end wall 23 of the frame. From the rear of the cross bar of the U shaped portion of the lever depends a thumb piece 36 that is arranged in convenient position to receive the thumb of the operator.

The knotter shaft 25 is of uniform diam-- eter at itsforward end, and has a threaded opening to receive the stem of the knotter 38, the latter being of the structure usmilly employed, and having a centrally located cutting and clamping member that is provided with a cam wing operated by an eccentrically disposed ring 39. The cylindrical portion of the shaft 25 receives a torsion spring 40, one end of which is permanently the front wall 22 of the frame.

secured to' the shaft, while the opposite endextends through an opening 41 formed in The rear end of the knotter shaft is tapered, reducing' slightly from the cylindrical forward and toward the rear end and thence being abruptly reduced at the point .where it is operated, the flexible member 43 will be unwound from the shaft and the latter will be rotatedthereby turning the knotter to efieet the tying operation.

It will, of course, be understood that as the movement of the'lever progresses, the

' resistance offered by the spring will proportionately increase, so that greater-exertion is required toward the latter end of the movement thanis necessary at the commencement of the tying operation. This is compensated for by the gradual increase in diameter of the winding surface of the shaft, inasmuch as the radial distance of the winding surface, and therefore the-leverage force,

gradually increases as the unwinding move- ,ment progresses and the speed of operation ,of the lever may, therefore, be gradually reduced and it will be in most cases involuntarily reduced without lesseningt-he.

speed ofrotation of the knotter. 'The' U- A shaped lever further operates as a stop for limiting the movement of the knotter, the

crossbar of the lever coming into contact with the curved wall of the side plate 11 w of the main frame when the knotting operation is complete.

Projecting from the rear portion of the side plate 10 is a screw 46 whichforms a pivot for the reception of a lever 47 that is curved upward and forward .and which car- .ries at it's free end a thread clamping arm 50 -48.- This arm is hollow, being preferablyformedof sheet metal bent in such manner as" to receive the lever 47, .and from .the forward end of the arm extends a,tongue .50 that-is arranged to coactwith the'upper' edge of the 'forward end of the lever when clamping the thread and-holding the same during the knotting operation. The rear wardly projecting end of the-arm acts as .a

fee

.weight,. and this end of the arm'normally rests against a stop pin '51 that limits its downward movement, .When the lever is raised, (Fig. 3) the weighted end of the 'arm will remain down at. first in engagement wlth the stop pin, and then rising from the pin as-thc upward movement continues so that the tongue 50 will be moved downward over the outer end of the lever 47, and if a thread is in place, the thread will be clamped and held during the operation of the .knotter.

At the rear of the pivoted end of the lever is a shoulder 52, and-under this shoulder the metal of the lever is bent inward to form a tongue 53. On this tongue is pivoted a small lever 54, the outer arm of which extends under the shoulder 52, and is engaged by one end of a spring 55 that is coiled' around the screw 46, the opposite end of said spring being secured-to a fixed part of .the frame. The tendency of the-spring operating through the lever 54 is to maintain the lever 47 in initial position, that is to say,

in the lowermost position with the weighted end of the thread clamping arm 48 resting against the stop 51.

- The inner arm of-the lever 54 has a tapered lower face 56, and this arm of the lever-isv arranged in the path of movement of a pin 57 that projects from a collar 58 that is adjustably secured "to the reduced end portion of the knottershaft. x

i s the knotter shaft is rotated clockwise as shown in Fig. 5, the pin 57 willengage the upper edge of the lever just before the thread cutting operation is complete, and the lever 47 will be moved upward so that the tongue 50 of the thread clamping arm may move down and the yarn or thread will .be caught and held between the, tongue-50 and arm 57 duringthe remaining portion of the operation, that is to say, during the completion of the cutting operation and the wlthdrawal of the knotted thread from the bill .of the knotter as is usual in devices of this type. The pin 57 will pass completely beyond the lever before the movement .ofthe knotter is complete, said knotter making a stroke of one and one-fourth revolutions at each operation, and after the pin moves from engagement with the lever, the-spring 55 is free to act to restore the thread clamp to the initial position which is immediately accomplished, and the knotted thread 're leased;v When the pressure of-the thumb piece .is relieved, thetorsion spring 40 rapidly turns the knotter shaft in the a ps site direction and winds up the flexible member 43 and as the knotter shaft turns the pin 57 will ride under the tapered end 56 of the. lever 54- and will snap past the lever "against'the resistance offered by the spring '55, the lever thenreturning to gag'e'ment with the shoulder 52.

I elaim:-- 1. In a manually operable knotter, a

- frame, thread guiding and clamping means,

a tying bill a carrying shaft for the tying bill journaleli in the frame and locked against longitudinal movement, an operating lever, a flexlble member wound around the shaft and place in *enhaving one end connected to the lever, and

position.

servingto effect movementof the shaft in one direction, and a spring for turning the shaft in the opposite direction.

2. In a manually operable knotter, a

frame, a-lever pivoted thereto, thread guid ing and clamping means, a tying bill, a

carrying shaft therefor, said shaft having a tapered winding surface, a flexible member mounted upon said surface and having one end secured to the shaft andthe opposite end to thelever, for effecting movement of the shaft in one direction, and a spring for turning the shaft in the opposite direction. v 3.-In a manually operable knotter, a-

frame, an operating lever apivoted thereto, a tying bill, a carrying shaft for'said tyingbill, the shaft being provided with a tapered windingsurface, a flexible member woundaround such surface and having oneend secured to the largest diameter of the shaft, the opposite end of said flexiblemember extending from the smallestdiameter of the shaftto the lever, said lever serving to effect movement of the shaft in one direction and a spring for turning the shaft to normal 4. In a manually operable knotter, -a frame, thread guiding and clamping means supported by the frame, a revoluble tying bill, a shaft carrying the bill, a flexible member wound upon the shaft and having one end secured thereto, an operating lever having a U shaped end portion, and a de-' pending thumb piece, said lever having a rearwardly extending arm tojwhich the op positev end of the flexible member is secured, the frame being arranged to fern sto w for limiting movement of the lever in. both di-' rections, and a spring surrounding the shaft and serving to restore the parts to nitial position after each operation.

In a device of the class described, a two part frame formed of'sheet metal, onememher beingbent to formv a pair ofparallel side plates, and a downwardly extending flanged handle, the'front end of one of. the

side. lates being continued forward and shape to form a thread guide, the second member being bent to form a top plate, and

frame, a tying a pair of end plates disposed at a right angle thereto, said end plates bein provided with alining openings, a main sha is mounted in said openings, a tying billseculed to one end of the shaft, a flexible member wound 6. In a manual y operable knotter, the

combination with a frame, of a tying bill, a

carrying shaft therefor, meansfor operating t, a lever pivoted to the frame, and.

the sha a counter-weighted. gravity actuated thread clamp supported by said lever.

7. In a. manually operable knotter, a frame, a tying bill, a shaft carrying the same, means for operating the shaft, a lever pivoted to the frame, means for operating-.

'the lever, a thread clamping arm pivoted to the free end of the lever and provided with a rearwardly extending hollow tongue arranged to embrace the upper edge of the lever, said clamping arm bemg counterweighted to hold the clamping tongue in operative position by gravity.

8. In a manually operable knotter, a

bill, shaft carrying the same, a lever plvoted to the frame, a gravity actuated thread clamp mounted on the lever,

a springtending to hold-the clamp against the stop, a two armed lever pivoted tov'and;

carried by the main lever, one of thearms being arranged to engage 'a shoulder on said main lever, and be ng held thereagainst by the spring, and a pin projecting fromf the shaft. and arranged to engage the oppos te arm of said lever for actuating the clamping device.

y In testimony that I cl'aim the foregoing as I I.

my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses; i

' I Q BRITTON BYRD.

Witnesses: f i

SOUTHGATE J ones, J. S. PERRY. 

